Fleas are present all over the world. Over 2000 varieties, in fact. In America there are over 200 different types of fleas. 200!!! This will be no easy battle. Fleas are capable of jumping from 14 to 16 inches and will bite humans as well as your pet. Females can begin to lay eggs after just 48 hours of their first blood meal. The most common in this vast array of minuscule nuisances are the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) and the dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis). The most common parasite on your dog will actually be a CAT flea. Dog fleas are commonly found in Europe, while cat fleas are very common to the U.S. Cat fleas are not picky about who they feed on. Cat fleas can, in rare cases, carry disease. Also, if ingested can cause tape worm. The cat flea has been found to carry the plague and murine typhus to humans. They can be brought into your home almost undetected to the untrained eye. They can attach to your clothing or to your pet. They are found in yards, kennels, forests, parks, or an other areas common to warm blooded animals. Why? Because this is where they can find their hosts so they can reproduce. Did you know the female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day? That means in approximately 9 months a female can cause up to a trillion decendents!! And due to the 4 stage life cycle they are extremely impervious to extermination tactics.
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